Genetic information may play an increasingly important role in the personalized preventive medicine of the future. Whole-genome sequencing could open up new possibilities for identifying susceptibility and risk for specific diseases even before symptoms appear, emphasizes Dr. Gyula Richárd Nagy, a clinical geneticist at Semmelweis University. However, to achieve this, we must first accurately ‘read’ our genome — that is, the billions of DNA letters — with increasing precision. We must also ensure that the reference base we are comparing it to is appropriate. A study published in the prestigious US journal GeroScience, which involved researchers from Semmelweis University, sheds light on this important yet little-known issue for the future of preventive genomics.

Early detection could help patients start Alzheimer's treatments when they deliver the greatest value to patients, families and society. 

A gene involved in cell signaling and lipid metabolism, CTDNEP1, is associated with poorer survival in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), a study from Tokyo University of Science and Nippon Medical School has found. Researchers analyzed publicly available cancer databases to examine CTDNEP1 expression in ccRCC and papillary RCC. They found that higher CTDNEP1 expression was associated with poorer survival in ccRCC, suggesting its potential as a candidate prognostic biomarker for this subtype.